Hev is the highest ranked unseeded player, Bolsova the third highest.

Quite a tricky set of draws/qualification routes. Although Jodie should really come through her section I feel.

Sonay is playing Hana Mandlikova's daughter. 

Julia Carrot wrote:

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Tennis forum have Heather as playing Leolia JeanJean.

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 The AO website does say Bolsova. Jeanjean is the #9 seed in Heather's section, but Heather wouldn't meet her until the FQR, assuming she can beat Bolsova and Tsurenko #31 or Naito in QR2

Jodie seems to have a good opener, the rest will all have to work hard.

A lot of unforced errors in the early stages of Sonay's match. She lost the opening 7 points, then benefitted from 5 unforced errors in a row from Mandlik to break back 1-1

Sonay saved a couple of bps with first serves but twice Mandlik is the more aggressive, eventually Kartal's backhand can't make it over the net after a long rally, broken again 1-2*

Another long game, Elizabeth seems to have control at 40-15 but Sonay's patient approach is rewarded by errors to get back to 40-40, Mandlik holds *1-3

Comfortable hold for Sonay to 15, even a Kartal winner 2-3*

Lots of rallies seem to end with a Kartal backhand into the net. Mandlik aggressive forehand long for 30-30. Kartal careless forehand long 40-30. Mandlik's first serve doing some damage from time to time. *2-4

Sonay wins a very long rally for 30-0, holds to love 3-4*

Miserable play from Kartal to start the game, refuses to attack a 2nd serve then careless forehand wide on her next shot. df for 30-30. Again a passive return off a 2nd serve, EM attacks the net, benefits from a slight net cord, Elizabeth aggressive play, Kartal backhand forced error into the net *3-5

EM with a return winner off a 2nd serve, a rare aggressive shot from Sonay after her serve but it misses by miles 15-30, careless forehand just wide from EM 30-30, a decent Kartal forehand down the line forces an error from EM 4-5*

Df, unret 1st 15-15, rally SK backhand into the net 30-15, ace that cameraman manages to miss, wild forehand from EM 40-30, fittingly, the last point of the set is a Kartal backhand into the net after a rally in which Elizabeth was slightly aggressive 4-6

The stats for the 1st set are ugly. EM 47% first serves in play, 8 winners, 17 unforced errors (official website has 19 unforced errors). SK 56% 2 winners 8 unforced errors. 

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EM forehand winner into the open space 0-15, miserable slice backhand into net from EM, Kartal forehand into outer space 30-30, EM careless forehand wide 40-30, unret 1st 1-0*

Ace, df, EM f wide after rally 15-30, EM aggressive f 30-30, df 30-40, EM careless forehand unforced error long immediately after her serve to gift Sonay a break *2-0

Sonay can't do enough with a volley allowing EM to pass, EM 2nd serve return just wide 15-15, SK more aggressive during long rally 30-15, woeful 2nd serve return into net 40-15, ace 3-0*

Sonay doesn't do much with another volley but this time EM's passing shot is just wide 0-15, SK f cc wide 15-15, EM's level has collapsed, another shocking error from her 15-30, and another poor shot after her serve brings up 30-40, careless backhand unforced error long from Kartal 40-40, woeful from EM 40-A, difficult to describe how badly Mandlik is playing right now, she gifts Sonay another break with a wild forehand *4-0

Sonay seems to be attacking a bit more in this set but far fewer rallies since EM can't manage to hit the ball in the court. A rare rally, EM impressive attacking play 40-40. EM forces bp, brilliant backhand return winner for the break 4-1*

Even the cameraman appears to be struggling to focus on the match, completely missed some of the points, EM holds to love *4-2

Sonay with a super forehand down the line winner, ace 30-0, SK f long 30-15, df 30-30, SK f winner after rally in which EM should have punished a short ball but for unknown reasons didn't even have a go, unret 5-2*

Delightful lob winner from EM, EM f winner immediately after her serve for a love hold *5-3

Df, Kartal 2nd serve sits up invitingly but Mandlik's return is into the net 15-15, EM long 30-15, SK inside out forehand wide 40-30, good 1st serve down the T is unreturned 6-3

Decent performance from Sonay in that set, several big forehands and some good serves. I suspect plenty of members of the forum might fancy their chances against Mandlik performing at the level she produced in the 2nd set. 

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Sonay takes the opening point of the 3rd after a rally 0-15, Sonay forehand winner down the line after a rally 0-30, lucky net cord winner for SK 0-40, stream issues 30-40, SK has the opportunity but forehand into the net - at least she went for it 40-40. EM with game point, another SK attempted forehand down the line that lands in the net when there was a big space. *0-1

EM super forehand down the line winner 15-30, then an aggressive f cc 15-40, unret 1st 30-40, SK forehand winner after good T serve 40-40, EM f winner 40-A, SK defends but ultimately f into net for the break 0-2*

Mandlik huge forehand 15-0, decent wide serve unret 30-0, good backhand after wide serve 40-0, df 40-15, wild backhand long from EM 40-30, might have been a lucky net cord winner from EM or possibly a drop shot ? *0-3

EM aggressive return off a 2nd serve 0-15, missed it 0-30, unret 1st 15-30, rubbish return into net off a 2nd serve 30-30, unret 40-30, SK holds 1-3*

SK ugly b cc 15-0, SK goes for a big return off a 2nd serve but sticks in the net 30-0, EM aggressive 40-0, EM's drop shot isn't great but she ends up winning the point a bit later *1-4

Big forehand down the line from Mandlik 0-15, SK f into net 0-30, EM deep return catches a bit of the line 0-40, SK wide immediately after her serve, broken to love 1-5*

More artistic camera work - I guess it was unret 1st serve, EM big backhand down the line 30-0, a good first serve down the T gets Elizabeth the win 1-6

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A good performance from Sonay in the 2nd set. She probably wants to forget the 1st and 3rd sets. 

-- Edited by kundalini on Monday 9th of January 2023 06:28:34 AM

Neither of those loses are particularly surprising, but Heather's ranking will take a bit hit after she made round 2 in the main draw a year ago.

Shame, she played so well last week but just had a feeling this one wasn't going to go her way.